Takeaways

• Cancer takes a lot, and it is okay to say so. It still does not get to take everything, including love, memories, laughter, friendship, and purpose.
• Grief and joy can live side by side. You can miss someone terribly and still smile at a ridiculous memory.
• Feeling guilty for enjoying life again after loss is common in grief, and it can ease with time. It is okay to laugh, celebrate a birthday, and take the trip.
• You do not have to fix someone's situation to make a difference in it. Showing up, listening, and sitting beside them is often enough.
• Small acts of support, like a gas card, a grocery gift card, a comfort backpack, or a text message, can tell someone they are not walking through a cancer journey alone.
• Even in the middle of something you did not choose, you still get to choose w ...